Shaq visits with Christie at Statehouse

TRENTON — Luckily for Gov. Chris Christie, Shaq was not in town for a pick-up game.

The Republican governor tweeted a picture of himself Friday afternoon looking up to the 7-foot-1 four-time NBA champion, who towered over him while the two were shaking hands.

A spokesman for Christie said Shaq wanted to speak to the governor about getting involved with the state’s successful gun buyback program.

“Mr. O’Neal is a Newark native and has become involved in civic affairs since his NBA retirement,” spokesman Sean Conner said in an email. “The governor told the crowd that Mr. O’Neal ‘had good ideas’ and added ‘We’ll do something with him.’”

The state is holding its fifth gun buyback event in Atlantic County this weekend.

Earlier this year, the buyback in Mercer County netted more than 2,600 guns.

Mercer County Prosecutor Joseph Bocchini said bringing in the star power of Shaq to help with the program would be great.

“Anything he can do to enhance taking guns off the streets or help raise money for us to have more gun buybacks would be greatly appreciated,” Bocchini said.

The prosecutor said roughly $324,000 was shelled out at the Mercer County event.

For the buyback program, residents can turn in up to three guns of any type “no questions asked” and receive up to $250 per weapon. The firearms are bought with state and county forfeiture funds.

Christie acknowledged the awkwardness of the pair on Twitter. He joked in response to someone commenting on casting for the remake of “Twins,” which starred former California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito.